Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-05

gently they handle il. What mjscreau
has so calumniated railroad companie
and their employees, as to say that the
were reckless with baggages
Louis Vernet draws near, puts his han
on the trunk and addressing the portcrs
Take it right away" said he. Her
is my check"
He had hardly pronounced the word
when he felt heavy hand grasp hi
shoulder.
He turned and saw that IL WAS n poIic
officer that was taking a great deal of Lib
erty.
"Eh' What's the matterr' calculate,
the astonished traveller.
Behind the officer were two employes O
the company, standing ep straight as tw,
pickets under their gold laced caps.
| whats the matter.'' replied the GEN
darme in a bantering tone without NOV
ing finger; that you will soon fint
out"
The two railroad employees drew nea,
the trunk, craned their necks, listened q
moment, raised their heads and gazed a,
each other with a look that seemed to say
''There is no doubling it.''
Louis Ncrnet thought to himself: at Is
plain these persons are crazyr' Then a
horrible thought surged through his
brain. Crazy or not, the one sure thing
| was that it was II 40, and that he had
but twenty minutes in which to reach III.
Semaphore office He must escape by oil
means! He roughly shook off the detain
ing hand, upset three or four persons and
| rushed to the gate. Vain hopes! Two
custom officers standing there seized hin
by the collar and notwithstand1n, hi.
protests and gesticulations, he was taken
back TO his trunk.
This is Madness cried he. '1.et me
go! l swear that will return in an hour.
You are making me lose one hundred
thousand francs"
A bitter smile fitted across the gen.
darme's lips, beneath his heavy mustache
He retook possession Of his prisoner, with
both hands this time-One on eGch shoul
der.
Come, now," said one OF the railroad
employees, playing of is useless. Ac-
knowledge all. You arrive from New
York, with mysterious, hurried air.
That is not natural. And this suspicious
trunk! Who are you, What are your
political opinions
Louis Nernet was inspired.
AT the last election" replied he, ~
voted for the candidate Of the Left Gen.
ter. and am subscriber to The Debats"
This declaration made IN a tone of sin
certify produced slight revulsion Of senti-
ment in the travellers favor.
We'll, what does your trunk contain'"
asked the gold laced eniploye.
Clothing, nothing else, l assure YOU"
Are there no explosive materials in
r"'
Explosive materials! What for, am
neither chemist nor pyrotechnist''
What is that singular noise, them All!
you are silent. Well, since you will not
speak, shall answer for you. There is
in your trunk machine regulated by
clockwork- which, at fixed hour, is to
cause an explosion. In London, the day
before yesterday, the police arrested four
Anarchists with similar machines. You
are one OF the same Sang"
Louis Nernets eyes grew round with
stupidity. He stopped over his trunk, and
his eyes grew rounder still Tic-tac, tic
tao! All! but he must surely be dream
Ing now!
All at once noisy jangle resounded.
The signal for the explosion To take place,
e was plain. Look out for the bomb!
Forters and employees scattered in every
direction. The police officer himself was
not left behind in the panic.
Nernet, alone, heroically stood at his
post. With feverish hand he opened his
trunk. His fingers rummaged about under
the Clothing, probing. feeling and upset
ting everything. Suddenly he touched a
hard substance wrapped up in his night
shirt What Is this, Louis Vernet raises
his arm, brandishing-the alarm clock
9f the Crowned Dog hotel, which, in his